Font Size:

When the Tropicana Las Vegas emerged from bankruptcy last July new owner Alex Yemenidjian was ready to shuffle the deck. He had big plans for the classic hotel-casino, including a complete renovation of the hotel rooms and casino floor in 2010.

Looking for an ace in the hole, he made one of the first moves the hiring of a familiar face as his new GC, Joanne Beckett. Beckett had previously dealt for Yemenidjian at MGM Mirage, where he'd served as president as she worked as general counsel of the Golden Nugget, an MGM Mirage property.

Beckett says she looks forward to helping Yemenidjian give the Tropicana Las Vegas a fresh start, though she recognizes that her new position will be challenging. Beckett says that while at MGM Mirage she had the luxury of working with a team of lawyers. In her new job she's on a legal team of one.

"I'm really taking on a lot of new responsibilities here," says Beckett. "At MGM there were a lot of layers of corporate support. Now I handle it all: corporate, property and security work."

Beckett is a graduate of the Pepperdine University School of Law. After four years of law firm life, she got an offer from Steve Wynn to begin work with MGM Mirage. ("Steve's a hard guy to turn down," she says.) After 14 years working for MGM Mirage, she's ready to roll the dice once more.

And though she's willing to take chances in her professional life, when it comes to the real business of casinos she keeps her money off the table.

"Yeah, I don't gamble," she says, "I know who pays my salary."

Subscribe to Corporate Counsel